Grain threshing and separating machine.



PATENTBD FEB. 27, 1906.

No. 813,957. H. w. EISENHART.

GRAIN THRESHING AND SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 20, 1905.

9 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

[NVENTOR AL 5 424: 5 i

Altorney No. 813,957. I PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

H. W. EISENHART.

GRAIN THRESHING AND SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1905.

9 SHEETS-SHBET 2 [NI/ENTOR No. 818,957. PATENTED FEB. 27,

v H. W. EISENHART. GRAIN THRESHING AND SBPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 19M.

J a SHEETS-SHEET a.

m N WM WITNESSE Allorney PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

H. W. BISENHART.

GRAINTHRESHING AND SEPARATING MACHINE.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1905.

M m w. m 1D No. 813,957. PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

H. W. EISENHART. GRAIN THRESHING AND SBPARATING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20 1905.

' 9 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

[NVENTOR PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906. I H. W. EISENHART.

GRAIN TH-RESHING AND SEPARATING MACHINE.

? umumm No. 813,957. PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906. H. W. EISENHART.

GRAIN THRBSHING AND SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 20. 1905 9 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

, [NVENTO]? Alforney No. 813,957. PATENTBD FEB. 27, 1906 H. W. EISENHART.

- GRAIN THRESHING AND SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION 21mm JUNE 20, 1905.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

' scribed.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY WOLF EISENHART, OF

YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. FARQUHAR COMPANY, LIMITED, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA. GRAIN THRESHING AND SEPARATING MACHINE.

specification of Letzers Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1906.

Application filed June 20, 1905. Serial No. 266,137.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WOLF EIsEN- HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, county of York, and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Grain Threshing and Separating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to improve grain threshing and separating machines, and

1s especially designed for use in machines that are to be operated in the southwestern portions ofthe United States and in Mexico, where the climatic conditions are peculiar and where the character of the grain to be threshed is different from that usually found in more northern latitudes. To meet the climatic conditions, I have devised the framework of the machine with especial reference to withstanding extreme variations of moisture and dryness, as well as to withstand longcontinued and rough usage. The grain raised in the regions referred to is often weedy, and the heads of the wheat or other grain contain a relatively large proportion of imperfectlydeveloped kernels. The seeds of the weeds or foreign growths and the inferior kernels of the grain should be separated from the perfect kernels and should then be separated from the chaff and straw, as they can be utilized for various purposes, such as feed for fowls.

My invention has for one of its objects to produce a machine especially adapted for operating upon grain of the character referred to.

In the drawings, wherein the preferred form of my invention is illustrated, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail perspective views of curtains or deflectors arranged within the machine and which will be later de- Fig. 5 is a side elevation, drawn on a much larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2, showing the front end of the machine. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of the parts of the machine shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a front end view of the machine. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the rear end of the feeder. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the detachable side plate that is secured to the side wall of the hood at the feed end of the machine opposite the end of the feeder.

spective View of the several parts which together constitute the housingat the ieed end of the machine, the parts being separated from each other for purposes of illustration. Fig. 11 is a perspective view, detached, 01 the reel orbeater employed in front of the threshingcylinder. Fig. 12 is a perspective view, enlarged, illustrating part of the supports for the concave, the adjusting means therefor, and of the parts in immediate juxtaposition. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of the shaking-screen, illustrating means for guiding and steadying the same in the frame. Fig. 14 is a perspective view, detached, of one of the guiding and steadying rollers for the shaking screen. Fig. 15 is a perspective view as seen from the rear of the separator for the foul seed and inferior grain. Fig. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of the separator shown in Fig. 15, illustrating also its relation to the main threshing-machine. Figs. 17 and 18 are perspective views of different portions of the bottom of the separator shown in Figs. 15 and 16.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main framework or casing of the machine; 2, the supporting-wheels; 3, the threshing-cylinder; 1, the concave opposite thereto 5, the shaking-screen and straw-carrier that receives the threshed straw from the cylinder and after operating thereupon to separate the grain delivers it at the tail end of thescreen, and 7 the shaking-shoe containing the screens wherein the grain delivered from the straw-separator 5 is cleaned by the aid of an lair-blast produced by the fan 6. These r Fig. 10 is aper- I parts in their general arrangement and construction are of a well-known type and need not be specifically described. The belting for driving the moving parts of the thresher is indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 5; but as this may be arranged in any of several well-known ways it is not deemed neces-* sary to describe its course or arrangement. 8 represents a frame in which the feed belt 9 is mounted, and 10 represents the legs by which the outer end of this frame is supported, the connection between the frame and legs being of such nature as to permit the frame to be adjusted toward or from the ground, as may be desired. These parts may also be of any usual or preferred construction. Y

At the feed end of the machine and above and inclosing the threshing-cylinder I form a hood 11, that opens toward the front and extends upward a considerable distance above the top of the machine or main framework, so that the feed of the straw to the cylinder may be downward. I prefer that this hood should be formed mostly of metal, as I have found that this part of the machine is particularly subjected to great strains and severe vibrations, and when constructed of wood it does not well withstand these destructive tendencies, especially when also subjected to the severe climatic conditions of the portion of the country to which I have referred. In Fig. the parts that enter into the construction of the hood 11 are representedin detail. 12 12 represent the metallic side pieces of the hood, and 13 the top supported thereupon. The side pieces are of an approximately quadrant shape, so that the front of the hood when closed in by the side and top has its front end left open and is also open at the bottom to give free access to the cylinder. The side pieces 12 rest upon sills 14, to the under sides of which are bolted the side pieces 15, in or upon which are supported the bearings 16 for the threshin -cylinder and the curved arms 17 in whic are mounted the cross-bars 18, that carry the teeth. of the concave 4'. The'side pieces 12 are cut away at their front edges, as indicated at 19, to allow the end of the feederframe 8 to be carried into the hood, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 6. r

The ends of the shaft 20 of the turning roller at the upper end of the feeder extend laterally beyond the side boards of the frame 8 and are mounted in plates 21 Figs. 5, 9, and 10, that are secured to the side plates 12 of the hood, so as to cover the cut-away portions 19 of the side plates. As indicated in the drawir gs, these plates are offset from the sides 12 and are formed with slots or recesses 22, that cor stitute bearings or seats for the shaft 20. In ord er to furrish an additional bearirg for the shaft to steady the same on the sire carryir g its Crivirg-pulley, I provide a bracket-bearirg 23, Figs. 7 and 10. The arrangement that I have described permits the outer end of the feeder to be adjusted vertically without disturbing the relations of the inner end thereof to the hood and the threshing mechanism contained therein. The side bearing-supporting parts of the frame of the hood are each provided with a leg 24, that is adapted to rest upon and be secured to the main sill of the framework of the machine.

It will be seen by reference to the drawings that the threshing-cylinder is mounted in the upper part of the casing or framework of the machine, as is usual, and that the hood formed of the side pieces 12 and the top 13 stands considerably above the top of the main frame. In order to provide for the storing and transportation of the machine, this hood is made removable, as indicated in Fig. 10, so that it may be taken off, thereby 'materially reducing the vertical dimensions of the machine as a whole. To facilitate this removal of the hood, the connection of the feeder-frame 8 with theth'resher is such as to allow easy separation, the shaft or journal of the feeder being mounted in open bearings carried by the said removable hood. By offsetting the plates 21, in which the bearings for the shaft 20 are formed, I am enabled to use a feed-belt of the full width of the threshing-cylinder and of the hood,-which is desirable in threshing unbound or loose grain.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 6 that the feeder delivers the straw, into the hood considerably above and somewhat to the rear of the cylinder 3, as I have found that better results are obtained when the parts are thus arranged, particularly when operating upon tangled grain. Between the deliveryend of the feeder and; the threshing devices I arrange a feed-board 25. I prefer that this feed-board should be supported at its lower end upon a cross-bar 26, carried by the concave or by the arms 17, that carry the concave, and at its upper end by pins or studs 27, projecting from the sidewalls of the hood and extending through slots in plates 28, carried by the feed-board. The concave is adjustable toward and from the cylinder, and the feed-board being loosely mounted and supported directly upon the cross-bar 26, connected with the concave, is adjustable therewith, so that under no circumstances can there be a space left between the feedboard and the threshing mechanism. The curved arms 17, that support the concave, are mounted at their inner ends upon an axis 29 and near their outer ends rest upon cams 30, secured fast to the shaft 31, that is mounted in the side pieces of the casing or hood'll, and to the outer end of which is connected an arm 32, by which the positions of the cams, and consequently of the concave, may be varied. The arm 32 is arranged adjacent to the quadrant 33, and a winged nut and threaded bolt 34 are the means employed for securing these parts in the positions to which they may be adjusted. The front end of the casing below the feed-board is closed by the end board or plate 35, and to the lower edge of this is secured a cross-bar 36, tothe inner lower edge of which is secured a deflectingstrip 37, arranged to direct the grain which may fall thereupon to the flooring of the shak- 'ing-screen and separator 5.

The cross-bar 36 is removable, thereby giving access to the under part of the concave and to the forward end of the shakingscreen and separator 5 from the front. The end board 35 and the bar and deflector-plate 36 and 37 not only prevent the grain from escaping at the front of the machine and deliver it to the separator, but also prevent dust from escaping 43 43 are curtains or deflectors for the grain, preferably flexible, secured to the lower edges of the sides of the hood 11 and serving to direct the grain that falls from the concave to the bottom or floor of the shaking screen and separator 5.

The vertical side boards of the shaking-separator 5 are provided near their front ends with guide or rub plates 44, against which bear rollers mounted in bearings 46, secured to the framework of the machine. The aXes of the rollers 45 and the rub-plates 44 are preferably inclined, as indicated in Fig. 5. These parts prevent the shaker 5 from rubbing against the sides of the frame and cause it to run true.

In the upper forward portion of the hood and directly above the delivery end of the feeder there is mounted a beater-cylinder 38. (Illustrated in detail in Fig. 11.) This operates to assist the feeder in delivering the straw to the thresher mechanism and prevents clogging of the machine if the straw be fed in irregular masses. The beater is preferably formed of the heads 39, the cross-bars 40, extending between the heads, and the teeth 41, carried by the cross-bars. The beater is driven in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In rear of the beater and depending from the top of the hood is a flexible curtain 42, that prevents the straw that may be acted upon by the beater from being carried back upon the upward-moving portion of the cylinder. It serves, in conjunction with the feed board, to direct the straw to the thresher-cylinder and byreason of its being flexible and yielding adjusts itself to the conditions of the feed.

The threshed straw passing rearward from the threshing-cylinder and the concave is caught by abeater 47, that operates to open and spread the straw, allowing the grain to separate therefrom, and to assist in delivering it to the screens in the frame of the shaking-separator 5.

A little in rear of the beater 47 there is suspended from the top of the casing a sectional curtain 48. (Illustrated in detail in Fig. 3.) It serves to prevent the grain and straw from being thrown by the threshing-cylinder far to the rear of the machine without first being caught and acted upon by the separatingscreens in the shaker 5. It sometimeshappens that the stream of straw issuing from the threshing-cylinder is of uneven thickness transversely, and because of this fact I prefer to make the curtain 48 of independentlymovable sections, so that one part may swing backward and upward to allow a mass of straw of unusual depth to pass, while the other sections, where the passin straw is of less depth, may hang down and c ose the rear portion of the machine from the flying grain.

49 49 indicate the independently-hinged sections of the curtain or screen 48. I have found that it is preferable to make these inde endent sections only about half the vertica dimensions of the curtain as a whole. I therefore hinge or pivot each of the sections to the lower edge of a depending hinged curtain or screen section 50 of the full width of the machine and pivoted close to the top of the casing.

51 is a toothed cylinder, and 52 a toothed concave arranged opposite the cylinder, these two operating to act upon the straw after it has been threshed and then separated from the grain in order to break it up or bruise it that it may be in a pliable and easily-handled condition. The cylinder is preferably overacting, and the concave is arranged above the cylinder. A reel 53 in front of the cylinder and concave just referred to operates to feed the straw to the latter, as well as to open it up, and thereby insure that any grain which may have been retained therein shall escape from the straw before it is passed to the breaking-cylinder. These parts may be of any usual or preferred construction. In rear of the cylinder just referred to is a screen 54, which is represented in detail in Fig. 4. It is held rigidly in position by stops 55, secured to the side walls of the casing, and operates to prevent the escape from the rear end of the machine of any grain which may have remained in the straw and been caught and thrown rearward by the cylinder 51.

The blast from the fan 6 is so regulated that not only the chaff, but also the lighter seeds that may have been contained in the mass of straw delivered to the machine, as well as the imperfectly-developed kernels of grain, are carried by the blast over the tail of the shoe 7. Heretofore there has been no provision made, so far as I am aware, for cleaning such seed and imperfectly-developed grain in the threshing and se arating machine. I have provided means or taking the material delivered from the shaking-shoe 7, as well as from the straw-separating shaker 5, and performing a secondary or supplemental cleaning, whereby the chaff and straw are separated out and carried off and all seeds of whatever nature that may be of value or in any way utilized are cleaned and saved. The straw, chaff, and other light material which pass over the tail of both the shaking-shoe 7 and the shaking separator 5 are received upon the bottom of a fore-andaft vibratory separator-frame 57, toward which the material discharged from the upper separator 5 is directed by a transverse depending end ourtain 56, Fig. 16, hinged to the top of the casing of the machine and provided with. one or more straps 156, hinged at one end to the curtain 56 and formed with a series of holes, through one ofwhich maybe passed the pin by which it is made fast to the side of the casing. In this way the end curtain can be swung out ward to any desired angle of inclination and i &

be secured in that position. The frame 57 is hung by long elastic straps 58 from a supporting structure disposed at the rear of the threshing-machine and preferably connected directly thereto. To this frame 57 is imparted longitudinal reciprocatory movement from a power-driven crank 60, suitably mounted in the main frame of the thresher and connected with the shaking-frame 57 by a pitman 61. A long thin elastic metallic radius-bar 62, secured at one end to one leg of the frame 59 and at the other end to a bracket 63, attached to the rear portion of the frame 57, serves to prevent undue lateral movement of the shaking-frame. The bottom of the frame 57, upon which the straw, chaff, and relativley light grain and seeds from the shaking-shoe 7 and shaker 5 are de livered, is serrated or ribbed, as indicated in Figs. 15, 16, 17, and 18, the inclination of the serrations being such as to cause aprogressive feed of the material toward the discharge end of the frame. The flooring nearer the feed or head end of theframe 58 (indicated by 64 and illustrated in detail in Fig. 17) is imperforate and acts as a feeder, the seeds, &c., separating themselves from the straw during their rearward passage over this imperforate corrugated portion, while the portion of the flooring nearer the delivery end of the frame (indicated by is perforated, as represented in detail in Fig. 18, to permit the downward escape of the separated-out seeds, &c. Below the perforated portion 65 of the serrated flooring is a hopper-like chamber 66, having inclined bottomwalls that lead to the trough or spout 67, through which the cleaned seed and imperfectlydeveloped grain are delivered. A blast from the fan 68 is delivered into the chamber 66 and, escaping therefrom through the openings in the perforated portion 65 of the flooring, blows the chaff and straw over the discharge end of the separator, but allows the seed to fall through the openings onto the floor of the chamber, whence they pass to the delivery-spout 67. The blast produced by the fan 68 will of course be regulated to suit the character of the material it is to operate upon.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a threshingcylinder and concave, a casing or hood inclosing a space above the cylinder having side walls and a top, the side walls being cut away in front, offset plates secured to the side walls of the casing or hood opposite the cut-away parts thereof provided with bearings, and. a feeder for the straw and grain to be threshed supported in the said bearings in the offset plates, substantially as set forth.

2. In a grain-threshing machine, the combination with the threshing-cylinder and concave and the straw and grain separating mechanism, of a curtain arranged in rear of the cylinder to prevent the grain thrown rearward thereby from flying out at the tail end of the machinethe curtain com rising a section, 50, hinged to the casing 0 the machine near its top and hanging downward therefrom, and of a width approximating the width of the machine, and a series of trans versely-arranged sections, 49, independently hinged to the .lower edge of the section, 50, from which they hang freely suspended, sub stantially as set forth.

3. The concave having its curved side arms pivoted at their rear ends to the side plates 15, and provided at their front ends with a cross-rod 26 connected to and extending between them, and the concave-adjusting devices, in combination with the feed-board 25, having its lower end resting on and engaging the cross-rod 26, and slotted plates 28 at its upper end engaging pins or studs 27 on the side walls of the frame, as and for the purposes hereinbefore shown and described.

4. The combination of the bruising-cylinder 51, and concave 52, the Straw-separating shaker 5, the grain-cleaning shaking-shoe 7, the fan 6, the shaking-frame 57, arranged to receive the discharge from the shaking-shoe 7, and shaker 5, such shaking-frame having a serrated or ribbed bottom imperforate near its forward end and perforated toward the rear, means for supporting the frame 57 and imparting thereto longitudinal reciprocating movements, a collecting-chamber arranged below the perforated portion of the bottom of the frame, and a blast-fan 68 arranged to discharge into the said collecting-chamber, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afflX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY WOLF EISENHART.

Witnesses FRANoIs FAR UHAR, JAooB E. WEAVER. 

